EUROPEAN TOUR MALAYSIAN OPEN:CHALLENGE TOUR graduate Rhys Davies sparkled on the opening day at the Malaysian Open to share a one-shot first-round lead with Spain's Ignacio Garrido.

The 24-year-old Davies, still buzzing after matching his career-high finish on the European Tour by claiming sixth in Abu Dhabi at the start of the year, blazed a flawless seven-under-par 65 at Kuala Lumpur Golf Country Club.

A hot and sometimes lucky putter helped 1997 Ryder Cup winner Garrido share the clubhouse lead over in-form Asian number one Thongchai Jaidee and South Korea’s Kim Dae-hyun after the Spaniard dropped just one shot in the energy-sapping humidity.

Peter Lawrie was the best of the three Irish players in the field yesterday, his 69 four shots better than Darren Clarke, while Gary Murphy was on six-over-par after 17 holes before thunderstorms halted play for the day. He and 29 others will have to complete their rounds today.

Davies, who finished 35th at the Avantha Masters in India a fortnight ago, certainly made his fair share of birdies with five gains on the scoring-friendly front nine, including a hat-trick of birdies sparked by a putt from off the green at the par-five fifth.

He started the tougher back nine with a sixth birdie of the day, but had to wait until the 17th for his next to join Garrido in a share of the clubhouse lead.

“I didn’t actually have the best warm-up so I wasn’t striking the ball as well as I would have liked so I tried not to think about it. I think the fact I made a few birdies early on was important for me and I just pushed on from there,” said Davies.

WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship quarter-finalist Thongchai wobbled down the stretch with a pair of late bogeys to share second alongside Kim, who picked up five shots over his final five holes.